Lily the Invisible Acara: Part One

     Lily was born a blue Acara and she'd always loved her pretty light shade and how she looked like that all famous Acara, Princess Fernypoo, but she wanted to be white, like a pretty white lily, or perhaps a special color like Faerie or baby.

     She wiggled and squirmed as she waited by the door. She never really told her owner which color she wanted because she was afraid Missy couldn't afford it. She tried not to get her hopes up too high because Missy wasn't all that good at games, or any other way of making NP.

     Missy came home, arms loaded down with bags and Lily helped get them and empty them as fast as she could.

     "Where's… my new color?" Lily asked nervously.

     "Oh! I forgot all about it. I'm sorry I forgot to write it down on my list." Missy kissed Lily on the head. "I'll get it tomorrow. Don't you worry; I'll make a special trip."

     Lily nodded and sat back in the chair by the window. Lily started daydreaming. She imagined how she would look as her new color, showing off and prancing around, and bragging to all of her friends.

     How fun to have wings, fluttering around as a faerie, or racing around with flames about her, or in her pretty royal dress. "Oh how fun a new color will be…" Lily thought as she drifted off to sleep in her favorite chair.

      Morning came and Lily followed her Missy into the bank. The Skeith made her nervous.

     "I wish to withdraw 72,000 NP please."

     The Skeith promptly handed over the money.

     "Is that enough?" Lily asked timidly.

     "It's all I can spare Baby; it'll be enough for something special." Missy rubbed Lily's head.

     "Well, I want it to be a surprise… so I'll go home and wait," smiled the Acara.

     At that she ran home as fast as she could. She wiggled by the window. She waited and waited until she dozed off and again dreamed of the fun it would be to be different.

     A short time later she heard Missy walking up the stairs.

     "Wake up! We're going to the rainbow pool," Missy called and smiled.

     Lily bolted straight up and ran outside. She practically ran all the way to the pool. She couldn't wait. She waited and Missy finally caught up. Lily closed her eyes as she was painted. She opened her eyes and looked in the mirror.

     "Why can't I hold this stupid mirror right? I can't even see myself… Hold this mirror for me… Please Missy?"

     "You are holding it right. You're invisible! Isn't it cool?"

     Lily's eyes bolted open wide. "I'm WHAT?!!"

     "Invisible."

     "How… how… HOW COULD YOU??!!! Do you hate me? Are you tired of looking at me?" Lily cried.

     "No… I…"

     "If you were tired of me you should have just dropped me at the pound!!!" With that Lily ran, and ran until her legs and lungs burned and she couldn't run any more. She collapsed in a heap on the ground and passed out from exhaustion.

     A hard kick to her side woke her from her sleep. A Gelert lay in a pile in front of her.

     "That hurt!" Lily cried.

     "Stupid invisible pet!! Don't lie on the ground like that!!" The Gelert got to his feet. "I wouldn't have tripped over you chasing that darn Cybunny if you hadn't been laying here. It's not nice to pull pranks just because you got to be invisible."

     "GOT to be invisible? I didn't ask to be invisible!!! I hate it!! I want to be changed back to my nice blue self…" Lily began to cry.

     "You know what? You should enjoy it! I'm constantly loosing my prey or being spotted trying to snag a bite to eat… if I was invisible… I'd never go hungry!"

     "Why doesn't your owner feed you?"

     "Aint got no owner. I was abandoned. I broke out of the pound because I didn't get fed much. I might as well been invisible. Cause no owner would see me to adopt me. It was awful. Now go back on home or you'll wind up there. At least if ya do… you'd be able to sneak out better than me." With that, the Gelert ran off.

     Lily sat down and sighed. She was getting kinda hungry. She turned around to figure out where she was. She could really figure it out… so she began to walk. Maybe I'll hit water and go from there, she thought.

     She came to a strange village with a huge castle. A number of people were wondering around reading books and not looking where they were going. A Mynci reading a spell book tripped right over her.

     The Mynci picked up his book and brushed off his shirt. "Annoying roots in the road," he muttered as he went back to his book.

     Lily sighed. She'd never be seen again. She curled up under and tree and sighed. Her stomach growling was the only thing that got her moving again. She came to a food shop. Sitting in the shop was a Super Juicy Berry. Lily tried to get the owners attention.

     "Darn kids and there pranks," muttered the green Acara; as she continued about her business.

     Lily wasn't about to steal, but it just looked so good and it'd help both her hunger and her thirst. It was too much to bear and Lily grabbed it and ran. She plopped under and tree and ate fitfully. Lily cried and cried. She cried until she fell asleep under the tree.

      "I hear there might be another war soon."

     "Really now? How so?"

     "Between Hagan and Skarl. There's talk of anger between the brothers."

     "It's all hearsay!"

     Lily woke to the two voices. Standing in front of her were two people dressed in robes. Lily was afraid to move.

     "It's true. I saw a letter from Skarl himself!"

     "Can't be! Hagan loves his brother! Though they don't agree on things! He even sent money to help with the war with Darigan."

     "Only in hopes the war wouldn't come to him!"

     Lily tried to hold her breath. It took a minute to realize why they were talking in front of her. They didn't see her!!

     "I don't believe you! I must go!! I'm late for a meeting." The man in the purple robe left for the castle.

     "You'll see," muttered the one in the blue robe. "If my rumors don't work… I'll find something else."

     Lily was terrified but curious. She didn't know which to do! Follow and warn the man in the purple robe or find out what the blue one planned next.

     She decided to follow the blue robed one. She must find out his plans before she can warn the king. She followed as close behind as she dared. She planned on tracking this bad man as much as she could.

     "War! How awful. Whether he was trying to fake a war or start one, either way, people would be hurt." Lily was so lost in thought she smacked into a tree and let out a little "Ooof."

     "Who is there?!" The man in the blue cloak spun around. Show yourself!!!" He held up a wand.

     Lily stood perfectly still. She had no clue what to do. Maybe he was a sorcerer who could see her, maybe he'd release a spell and she'd be caught no matter what. She stood and tried to focus on keeping her breathing quiet. Suddenly an owl hooted from a nearby tree.

     "Stupid bird, scaring the daylights out of me… Underhanded tactics do make ya jumpy." He spun back around and continued on. Lily started following him; a LOT more carefully this time.

     Lily was starting to feel faint from lack of food and how far this man traveled. He moved fast too. Lily was trying hard not to collapse. Suddenly the man stopped and sat down. He pushed back the hood on this robe.

     "A Lenny!! No wonder he went so fast!! He was probably casually walking." Thought Lily.

     The Lenny waved his wand and had food and drink in front of him. Lily Drooled over the cool liquid and warm bread he ate. She wished she'd gotten some food from somewhere before this.

     The Lenny ate and drank only half of his food and then laid down for a nap. Lily quickly grabbed food and drink and ate it hungrily. She has no bad thoughts about stealing from THIS Lenny.

      When he awoke, he started at the empty basket and flask. "Stupid wild animals, at least they didn't wake me."

     Lily wondered why he didn't even try to fly. He got up again and began walking. Lily began following. She was getting better at this. She was even starting to like being invisible. It was so useful.

     They finally came to a clearing with a hut. It was a dismal looking hut with a thatch roof and tools lying about. Lily followed the Lenny in and saw potion and scrolls lying about. The Lenny pulled off his robe and hung it on the door. It was then she saw his badly marred wing.

     His wing was torn and tarred and even burned in a couple of placed. Lily tried not to gasp. She was getting better about breathing hard too. The Lenny walked about muttering to himself. He walked to a pot and spoke some funny words and smoke rose from the pot.

     The smoke swirled and sputtered and a picture formed.

     "Show me that foul Hagan. Show me my most hated foe."

     A picture formed and Hagan was signing things and speaking to people while trying to read a book. The man in the purple robe appeared and started talking to the King. The purple robe pulled his hood back and Lily saw the most handsome Acara she'd ever seen in her whole life. He heart raced and she had to catch herself from making a noise.

     The Acara said something to the king that made him frown something awful. The Lenny smiled an awful smile and said; "Yes, Carlin, tell king Hagan what dear old Elbert said to you…"

To be continued...